Fluid-controlling device.



G. G EARL.

FLUID CONTROLLING DEVICE.

mwucuwu FILED uovJn. 1912.

Patented Mar. 7, 1916 ,INVENT'OR. QEORQE Q. EARL BY f) UNITED STATES r.

GEORGE GOODELL EARL, O13 ORLEANS, LOUISIANA.

FLUID-CONTROLLING DEVICE.

Patented Mar. '7, 1916.

i 1 Original application filed January. 3, 1910,'Seria1 No. 536,239. Divided and this application filed November 11, 1912. Serial No. 730,670.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE G. EARL, a citizen of the United States, residing at New Orleans, in the parish of Orleans and State of Louisiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fluid-Controlling Devices; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable those skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to devices, or apparatuses that are employed for automatically controlling, or actuating an independent mechanism, such, for example, as a valve or set of valves for governing the head, or level of a liquid.

The main object of my invention is providing apparatus of the character described, that is of simple construction and which will correctly control the device of the mechanismwhich it is desired to operate automaticall 1 O ther objects of my invention and the invention itself will be best understood by referring to the particular embodiment illustrated in the drawing, while the scope of invention will be best understood by referring to the appended claims.

This application is a division of my application #536239., filed January 3d, 1910.

Figure l is a diagrammatic view of an embodiment of my invention. Fig. 2 is a section of the valve G, and Fig. 3 a section. of the form of valve shown at H.

The apparatus comprises a valve casing 41, which is suitably connected to the effluent pipe ofv a source of fluid pressure which may lead through a filter, not shown, but which is connected to said casing through'an orifice 100. The valve casing is' provided, preferably at its lower end with a discharge orifice 42, through which water passes into a fluid receptacle one of whose walls is shown at 40. The orifice 42 constitutes an outlet of ddequate high and low pressure range. The efiiuent duct leading into the valve casing 41 constitutes a passageway from the source at the head of the efliuent pipe to the orifice 42. A valve, preferably a slide valve 43, is arranged in the valve casing 41 for controlling the flow of water through a number of ports 44, which are arranged between the inlet openin of'the valve casing and the discharge ori ce. In the ertobodi ment of the invention here shown, the stem 45 of the valve 43 is operated by a hydraulic piston F and a balanced pilot valve Gr is provided for controlling the flow of the hydraulic medium through pipes 46 and 47 to and from the cylinder of the hydraulic piston F This pilot valve G is illustrated in section in Fig. 2. The valve proper 112 is connected in some suitable way to the rod 115 and moves therewith. The duct 48 is connected to a pressure source and when the ducts 48 and 47 or 48 and 46 are connected together through the valve, the water will flow through the ducts 47 or 46 to the piston 120 and operate the valve 43. The waste pipes are shown at 110 and 111.

' It will be obvious that various other means than the device above referred to, could be employed for operating the valve 43.

' The mechanism for actuating the piston of the pilot valve G, so as to govern the supply of water from the pressure line 48, con sists of a movable member, such as a beam 8* mounted on a fixed fulcrum and provided with other movable members, such as weights 10 11 and 16*, which may be of any suitable specific gravity, material and size. The weight 16? is approximately onehalf the length and area of weights 10 and 11*. The weight 10 is arranged in such a way that pressure from the receptacle 40 may be conveyed thereto. In the embodiment shown, this is arranged inside of a tube, tank or cell 14 whose lower end is open and communicates with the said receptacle 40. The water in the conduit 40 can thus rise in the tube 14. Means are likewise provided for sure side of the orifice 42 to the other movable member 11. In the form'shown, this is accomplished by providing a tube, tank or cell 14 in which the weight 11 is suspended and connecting this tube, by means of a duct 49, to the valve casing 41, or other convenconveying pressure of the fluid on the presof the weight 23.

communicates with the conduit 40, so that the water in said conduit may rise in said tube. The tank 5 is connected to the lower end of a tank or cell 17 a by a duct 28 which serves to transmit pressure from the source of fluid pressure associated with the duct 50 to the cell 17*. The tank or cell 17 incloses a movable member, such as a weight 16 which is connected to the beam 8 refera ly on the same side of the fulcrum as the weight 11 A balanced pilotvalve H is provided for controlling the supply of water from a pressure line 50 into the tank 5 and the piston of said pilot valve is secured to rod 51 that forms a connection between the weight 23 and the beam 25 so that said piston will be actuated whenever the equilibrium of the weights 23 24 and the beam 25 is destroyed. In the form shown, the area of the weight 244} is twice that of the weight 23 and these weights are connected to the beam 25 in such a manner that they are inbalance when the height of the water level above the bottom of the weight 24 is one-half of the height of the water level above the bottom When the pressure of the water entering the controller or valve casing 41 is high, as, for example, when the bed of the filter is cleaned, the slide valve 48 occupies such a position that only enough water will pass through the ports 44 to meet the requirements. As the filter gradually clogs, the head, or pressure of water entering the controller will, of course, become diminished. If the same flow from the filter is to be maintained, it is obvious that the .valve '43 will have to be moved, so as to gradually open the ports 44 until they are completely open. This is one of the objectsof this apparatus, namely, to gradually ihcrease the port area, as the bed of the filter becomes clogged, so as to maintain practically a constant flow of water from the filter into the receptacle 40. The broken line li -41, in Fig. 1, represents the maximum water level in the reservoir and the broken line'z' u), in Fig. 1 represents the minimum level. As previously stated, the lower ends of the tubes 14 and 27 are open, so that the water can rise therein and as the lower end of the tube 14 is connected by the pipe 49 to the pressure side of the discharge orifice 42, the

water can also rise in said tube 14, the apparatus being so designed that the filter is out of service when the water stands at the level 7z i in the tubes 14*, 14 and 27 and at hf-e" in tube 17. When the filter is in service the water entering the valve casing 41, passes out of same through the orifice 42 and any pressure between the ports 44 and the discharge orifice 42 will build up a head in the tube 14.

The weights 10, ll and 16' are all we will assume that the weighted in excess of their displacement, when the water around the weights 10, and 11 stands at the point indicated by the broken line hc' and when thewater around the weight 16 stands at the point indicated by the broken line kc".' For convenience in explaining the operation of the apparatus, weights 10, 11

and 16 are in balance when the water level stands at this point around all three of said weights. It will be evident that if the level around the weight 16 is lowered one foot,

that the weight of 16 will be increased by the amount of the decreased displacement and the beam 8 will therefore be unbalanced. The balance may be restored by increasing the level around 16 one foot, or by lowering the level around the weight 10 one foot. It will also be evident that if the level around 10* be one foot lower than thelevel around 11* that this also will correct the balance of the beam 8. Therefore,

if the level around the weight 16 be one foot below the line h the beam will be in balance if the level around weight 10 is one foot lower than the level around the weight 11, irrespective of where the levels around weights 10 and 11* may be as long as the distance between the levels is one foot. We will assume that it is desired tooperate the filter on a one foot head over the submerged orifice 42. From'what has been said, it is seen that the tubes 14' and 14 are connected I with the water on the two sides of the orifice 42, so that the levels in these tubes must represent the pressure on the two sides of said orifice.

, If any mot-ion of the beam 8" up or down will act through the pilot valve G, or anyother suitable device to regulate the pressure on the pressure side of the orifice 42, increasing the pressure by opening the hydraulic valve and increasing the area of the ports 44 whenever the difl'erence of level in tubes 14* and 14 is less than one foot, and closing the hydraulic valve and decreasing the area of said ports whenever the difference in levels in tubes 14 and 14" is more than one foot, we then have a constant pressure on the orifice 42, and therefore, a constant rate of discharge from the filter through said orifice.-

To set the controller so as to maintain a one foot head over submerged orifice 42, 11 may be given a weight in excess of 10" equivalent to one foot of its displacement,

or 16 may be given a weight proportionatelyas great. When so arranged the set will be in balance when the level around 10 is one foot below that around 11. If the level around 16 remains at this point the rate .of discharge from the orifice 42 will remain constant, so long as the level around 1.0 is one foot less than-the level around 11. and we thus have a constant rate controller, which will. maintain a constant discharge filter under these conditions. By

orifice-will be maintained and the rate of discharge will be proportionately altered I bysuchchanging ofthe weights. While I -the weights 10 and 11 would make a perffectly satisfactory controller in conjunction {with the pilot valve G and the hydraulic 1 valve F, nevertheless it is desired to use the weights 16*, 28: and 24 for the purpose 1 1 5 hereinafter described. It has previously been statedthat the weights lli and 16 can be so arranged as to be in balance when the level of the water around 16 is at hi and when the level around 10 and 11 is at "7tz', and it will be evident from what has {been previously stated that a fall of level around 16 will be equivalent to an equal fall of level around 10". In view of the fact that the level of the reservoir withwhich the con- .duit40 communicates varies in accordance With the consumption demands on said res- 'ervoir, it is desirable to provide some means for automatically increasing the rate of filtrati-on, as the water in the reservoir begins to approach the minimum level, without permitting the rate of filtrationto rise too high, andv to decrease the rate of filtration auto- I matically and gradually when the water in.

the reservoir approaches the maximum level and to automatically shut off the filter when the water in the reservoir reaches the maximum level. To accomplish this, I have provided apparatus with the weights 23?, 24 and 16. The beam 25 is in balance when the water level in the tubes 27 and 5 stands approximately even with tie bottom of the weights 23 and 2t 5, or when the level around 23 is twice as far above the lower end. of same as the level around 24 is above the lower end of same. Thus, if thewater, rises four feet above the bottom of the weight 23 a rise of two feet above the bottom of weight 24 will restore the balance. Now if a slight motion of the beam 25 up or down will tend to open the pilot valve H and cause the level around 16 to fluctuate proportionately with that around 23*, any rise in the tube 27 which represents thelevel of the water in the reservoir, will be balanced by one-half as much v round 24, and any fall of level around 23 half as much. In view of fluctuation of level in the tank 5 mustbe communicated to the tank '17, in which the we1ght 16- is arranged, it will-be seen that any rise or fall of level around the weight 23 must causea corresponding rise or fall of level of one-militias much around weights will'ibe instrumental Tin causing a fall of level around 24 of onethe fact that any.

16 and 24*. Or, if the Weights 16 of each set be inclosed in a tube or-tank, and all of such tanks be connected with the tank 5 by an open pipe of proper size, then any fluctuations around weight 24 will be communicated to each of said tubes and the weights therein. In view of the fact that a fall in level around weight 16 means a corresponding difference of level between 10 and 11, it can be readily seen that if the said 10,

level stands at 72/ 4 around weights 1O and 11, and at 71/ 4 around weight 16, that then the head over'the orifice 42 will be zero whenthe level around said weights stands at the point mentioned and, therefore, the filter will be automatically closed. If new the level, in the reservoir falls one foot below the maximum level 'hi around weight 23, this will cause a corre sponding fall of level of one-half a foot around weight 16 and thus increase the downward pull of weight 16 and cause the valve G to open the controller until the level around 11 is built up six inches higher than the level around 10*. If a fall of level of two feet occurs around weights l0 and 23 this will occasion a one foot fall around weights 16 and 24*, Y which will in turn result in a difference in level of one foot being built up and maintained over the orifice 42. If the level in the reservoir "stands, say two feet below the maximum level M and then the level in the reservoir slowly rises until it stands only six inches below the maximum level, the level of the water around weights 16 and 24' will build up slowly in accordance with the rise around Weights 10 and 23 and the head over the orifice 42 will be slightly reduced in accordance with the rise, until the point is reached where there will be a head of only three inches over the orifice 42. .When the water rises to the maximum level fix-4:, it will also have risen to the levels h-z" around the weights 16 and 24 and the filter controller will be closed automatically and thus throw the filter out of service.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that numerous and extensive departures from the form and details ofthe embodiment of my invention here shown, may be madewithout departing'from the spirit or the invention. This embodiment being shown solely forthe purpose of clearly illustratinggone fprm of the invention.

HavQng thus illustrated and described a 11 and 16 are in balance only when the particular embodiment of my invention,

what I desire to claim is:

- 1. In a device of the class described, the

combination of a conduit having an orifice tank containing liquid in which another of said weights is suspended, a second beam, a weight suspended from said second beam, a tube communicating with said conduitin which said last'named weight is suspended,

. a cooperating weight suspended from said second beam, a tank communicating with said first named tank in which said cooper,- ating weight is suspended and a valve operated by said second beam for governing the ingress and egress of a liquid to and from said tanks.

2. In a device of the class' described, the

combination of a fluid conduit, a vibratile' member, means in line of said conduit to obtain a plurality of fluid pressures whose difference will be functional to the flow of fluid through said conduit, means to cause this pressure diflerence to act upon said virelations between said pressure difference bratile member, [means to create a varying pressure resultant, means to cause such resultant to act. upon said vibratile member, means to hold said vibratile member in equilibrium when the required functional and said pressure resultant exist, and means operated by said vibratile member to change said pressure difference functionally to changes occurring in said varying pressure resultant.

3. In a device ofthe class described, the

combination of several fluid pressure cells,-

a source of varying fluid pressure connected with one of said'cells, a second source 'of fluid pressure and an outlet for fluid flow of adequate high and lowpressure range, a

passage-way from said last named source tosaid outlet, means in said passage-way to create two fluid pressures whose difl'erence' is proportional to the flow therethrough, meansto cause the last two named pressures to act in two other of said cells, a movable member afl'ected by the pressures in all of said cells, and a'valve in said assage-way operated by said movable mem er to regulate the flow through said passage-way.

4=.-In a device of the class described, the combination of severalfluid pressure cells, a source of fluid pressure and means to connect said source with one of said cells and to transmit to said cell pressure from said source, a second source of fluid pressure, an outlet for fluid flow of adequate high and low pressure range, a passage-way from said second named source to said outlet, means in said. passage-way to create different fluid said pressures thus created being transmitted to one each. of .the other of said cells, a valve controlling the flow of fluid through said passage-way, means including a movable member controlling said valve and apparatus for transmitting to said movable member the fluid pressures in all of said cells.-

combination of several fluid pressure cells, a source of pressure, means to transmit pressure from said source to one of said cells, a second source of pressure, an outlet for fluid flow of adequate high and low pressure range; a passage-way from said second source to said outlet, a restriction in said passage-Way, means for transmitting to one said restriction, means to communicate to the other of said cells the fluid pressure on the other side of said restriction, a valve controlling the flow of fluidin said passageway, means including a mo able member controlling said valve and mechanism for transmitting to said movable member the pressures in all of said cells.

6 In a device of the class described, the combination of several fluid'pressurecells, a source of pressure, means to transmit pressure from said source to one of said ce ls, a second source of pressure, an outlet forfluid flow of adequate high and low pressure range, a' passage-way from said second source to saidoutlet, an orifice in said passage-way, means'for transmitting to one of said cells the fluid pressure on one side'of 5. In adevice of theclass described, theof said cells the fluid pressure on one side of said orifice, means to communicate tothe other of said cells the fluid pressure. on the other side of said orifice, a valve controlling the flow of fluid in said passage-way,'mean s including a movable member. controlling said valve and mechanism forft'ransmittin'g to said movable member the pressures in' all of saidcellsi V 7 Inadevice of the class described, the combination of a source of fluid pressure,

an outlet ofadequate high and low pressure range, a passage-way from said source to said outlet, a valve controlling the flow of fluid in said passage-way, mechanism for operating said valve, means in said passage .way for creating a fluid pressure diflering proportionally to the flow through the passage-way, means for transmitting to said mechamsm the ressures-thus created, a second source of transmittmg to said mechanism pressure from said: second source.

8. As a means for maintaining the fluid flow in a conduit in a predetermined func. tional relation with a varying static fluid pressure, means to create two static fluid pressures in line of the flow in the conduit, whose difference is proportional thereto,

Q5 pressures in said passage-way, one of each of several fluid pressure cells, means to cause uid pressure and nieans for to said outlet and a connection from said said two pressures to act respectively in two of said cells, means to cause the varying static pressure'to act in a third of said cells, a valve controlling the fluid flow through the conduit, a movable member controlling said valve and means to transmit to said movable member the pressures in said pressure cells.

QJAs a means for maintaining the fluid flow in a conduit in a predetermined functional relation with a varying static fluid pressure, the combination of means to create a varying static fluid pressure, means to create two static fluid pressures in the line of the flow through the conduit, whose difference is proportional to such flow, a valve controlling the flow of fluid through the conduit, mechanismcontrolling said valve and means to transmit to said mechanism the varying static fluid pressure and the static fluid pressures in the conduit.

1Q. In a device of the class described, a plurality of fluid pressure cells, means to create a varying static fluid pressure -con nected with and acting in one of said cells, a source of fluid pressure and an outlet for fluid flow of adequate high and low pres sure range, a passage-way from said source passageway to the other of said fluid pressure cells, a movable member connected to the static pressure in said cells and a valve in said passage-way operated by said movable member to regulate the flow therethrough to maintain a predetermined functional relation between the static pressure in the first cell and the static pressure in the other cell.

11. In a device of the class described, a plurality of fluid pressure cells, means to create a varying static fluid, pressure connected with and acting in one of said cells, a source of fluid pressure and an outlet for fluid flow of adequate high and low pressure range, a passage-way from said source to said outlet and a connection from said passage-way to the other of said fluid pressure cells, a movable member connected to the static pressure in said cells and a valve in said passage-way operated by said movable member to regulate the flow therethrough to maintain a predetermined functional relation between the static pressure 7 in the first cell and the static pressure in the other cell and apparatus actuated by the pressure in the last named cell. i

12. In a device of the class described, the combination or a pair of fluid pressure cells, a source of pressure for creating a varying static fluid pressure, means for transmitting such pressure to one of said cells, a second source of fluid pressure, an outlet for fluid flow of adequate high and low pressure range, a passage-way from said second source to said outlet, a duct connecting said passage-way to the other of said 'cells, a valve in said passage-way controlling the flow of fluid therethrough, mechanism controlling said valve and means to transmit to said mechanism the fluid pressures in said flow of adequate high and low pressure range, a passageway from said second source to said outlet,- a duct connecting said passage-way to the other of said cells, a valve in said passage-way controlling the flow of fluid therethrough, mechanism controlling said valve, means to transmit to said mechanism the fluid pressures in said cells, and apparatus actuated by the pressure in one of said cells.

14. In a device of the class described, the combination of a main source of fluid pressure, an outlet for fluid flow of adequate high and low pressure range, a main conduit connecting said source and said outlet through which fluid flows under pressure, a second source of fluid pressure, a duct'communicating with said second source through which fluid flows from said source, mechanism for regulating the flow of fluid in the duct, said mechanism controlled by the fluid pressure in the main conduit, a valve in the main conduit controlling the-flow of fluid therethrough and means controlled by the flow through said duct governing said valve.

15. In a device of the class described, the combination of two sources of fluid pressure, either of which is varying, the pressures at the sources being unequal, a passage-way adapted to discharge fluid from the higher to the lower of said two sources, means in said passage-way to cause two pressures to exist whose difference is proportional to the flow therethrough, a valve in said passage-way on oneside of said means and means to operate said valve including a movable system acted upon by one of the two said unequal sources of pressure and by the said two pressures whose difference is proportional to theflotv through said passage-way. l

16. In a device of the class described, the combination of two sources of fluid pressure, the pressures at saidsources being unequal, a passage-way adapted to discharge fluid from the higher to the lower of said sources, meansin said passageway to create a pressure difference proportional to the-flow of fluid through the passage, a valve controlling the flow through the passage-way, mechanism for operating said valve including a movable member, andapparatus for I sources, an orifice in said cause a pressure dliference pressures created in said passage-way and said "alve and apparatus for transmitting to said mechanism pressure from one of said first named sources and pressures from each side of said orifice.

In testimony whereof, I afiix my signature in the presence of tWo Witnesses.

GEORGE GOODELL EARL.

WVitnesses:

EDWARD A. MoWEN, JOHN C. BARTLEY. 

